Stay
by seeing green
Summary: Sequel to Sway. The line between love and hate only gets thinner in this sequel. Draco and Hermione take on each other as well as the rest of the world as forces fight against them. Harry, Ron and Ginny have begun to uncover Hermione's secret past, and a new admirer threatens to tear Draco and Hermione apart. Dark fic/Post Hogwarts.
1. Begin

**Stay**

_Sequel to 'Sway'_

**Disclaimer (or two):** _I do not own these characters, just this plot which doesn't say much. Second, I'd read **Sway **before I jumped into this story.__

* * *

_

_It's a beautiful lie;  
__It's a perfect denial. _

_Such a beautiful lie to believe in…_

A month had passed since she had seen them.

Alive and well.  
Scared and angry.  
Confused and Heartbroken.

Draco didn't talk to her much, partly because she made sure to stay away. The manor was big enough so that she could easily not see him if she tried hard enough – and most of the time she did.

It _was _her choice to be his.  
It _was _her choice to be here.

It was _her_ choice to leave _him_.

But that didn't help how empty she felt.

She read the issue of the Daily Prophet with their picture on it over and over. They looked scared, Ginny's eyes were puffy from crying and even with the moving pictures, they stayed motionless as the cameras went off and the reporters asked their questions.

Hermione clutched the paper in her hands as she sat in her room reading the article for the nineteenth time.

**The Boy Who Lived Twice**

By: Colin Creevy

_Just like Hermione did before, Harry Potter and Ron and Ginny Weasley showed up, perfectly in tact, at the ministry Friday night. Unable to speak the ministry quickly took them into the highest security possible and kept them safe from the public eye until statements were ready to be released._

The rest was about her and Draco.

About Harry's teary testimonial.  
About the anger that Ron and Ginny had.  
About how she was hated.

How did the tables turn?

As she sat in her room, Draco ran around down stairs trying to get everything right for their first party since Harry, Ron, and Ginny were found. It was going to be lavish. Like the ones he threw before Hermione ever existed fully in his world. Now she'd be apart of it, she'd understand the glamour of the dark side and who they were.

Every now and then a spark of light would leave from a wand and another decoration would be added. It was a blinding array of silvers and gold's, but it was also sinister in some ways. There were statues of goblins; the goblets had a silver snake etched into the stem.

Draco continued to make his rounds before finally ascending the stairs and heading down the hallway to his right towards her room.

But before he could knock, the door opened and he saw her there standing in the dress that he had gotten for her months and months ago. A scarlet color, not to revealing, sleeveless, and elegant. Something like his mother would've worn, but in a different shade. Draco looked her up and down before crossing his arms over his chest and raising a curious eyebrow.

"No make up? Hairs not done?"

She didn't like his tone, but she had learned to live with it, "We still have an hour before the party." And to shoot him down as well she stepped closer and ran a finger down the collar of his shirt, "I see you're not ready either."

Right now her condescending tone did not faze him. The fact that she was speaking at all elated him beyond anything, and quite frankly she could've said anything and he would've continued to feel the ecstasy he was in.

"I was hoping you'd help me."

Hermione smirked, "Remember, I've still to do make up and hair."

She turned and closed the door behind her leaving Draco watching after her.

It wasn't the answer he wanted, and surely wasn't the one he had expected from her.

Hermione gradually had become one of them. It showed in the way she talked, the way she held herself, the way she dressed, the way she thought – there were even rumors of her having the aura of Narcissa Malfoy.

But Draco didn't think it had gone that far.

Deep down inside she was still the vulnerable Gryffindor that woke up in one of his rooms, scared, angry, wanting revenge. But now, revenge was far from her mind. She was just trying to get through each day.

She sat down at her vanity. Opened the dark red lipstick that sat there, perfectly new, visibly expensive just from the outer cover. She gently put it on, making sure to keep it clean, and when she was done she closed the cap, and placed it back on the table before looking at herself in the mirror. Grabbing a gold encrusted beret from inside the drawer beside her she gathered a part of her hair on the side and put it up, still letting her curly tresses fall down her shoulders.

She knew this wasn't what he wanted, but that made her do it.

She did not want to look polished. She wanted to look like herself.

So as she descended the stairs, late, into the already well off party she caught more than a few glances. Giving polite nods as she walked past everyone, she made sure to find him. When she spotted his hair through the crowd she moved a little faster before grabbing onto his hand.

Blaise turned to find her beside him, and his breath caught in his throat.

"Hermione."

She smiled before looking around her and when she made sure Draco wasn't around she tugged on his hand to lead him outside and just like the other house there was a garden that you could get lost in.

Hermione had every intention of getting lost at that very moment.

He followed her nervous about Draco's reaction, but also intrigued at what she was up to. After all, it had been months since they had last seen each other, and truthfully he missed her.

When she stopped, Blaise pulled her into a warm embrace, only to be pushed away unexpectedly, "I can't, Blaise. Not anymore."

"Hermione I missed you, that's all."

"I know," She looked towards the manor, "But right now," She caught herself, "From now on, we are no more. Just friends, that's it."

"Where did all of this come from?" He asked before starting to walk back towards the manor out of the gardens.

Hermione followed, continuing their conversation, "I realized things while I was away."

"What, exactly?"

"That I love him."

A smirk etched itself onto his features as he turned around, "Really? Well all I can say to that, Hermione, is that I told you so."

"Don't do this to me, Blaise. You have _no_ idea what I've been through_."_

"Actually I do," he stepped towards her menacingly, "We all do. But we don't feel sorry for you because m'dear you brought this upon yourself. You begged, and you cried, and you broke and Draco wanted to piece you back together. So there it is. You wanted it, you got it."

"Shut up."

"No," he went even closer, "Welcome to the dark side, Hermione. This is it. As much as they don't like you, they respect you now." He motioned towards the house, "They are looking for you guidance now."

Hermione moved away from his frame and continued to walk throughout the maze towards the entrance.

Blaise continued to follow, "Hermione give up!"

She stopped, "Give up?"  
Without turning her back she threw her hands in the air, "Give … up?"

He knew that he had struck a nerve within her, but he continued his fight, "Yes. _Give up_. Join us."

"The sad thing is," Hermione shrugged, "I have."

Without anymore words they both made their way to the manor where Draco was waiting on the terrace eyeing both of them suspiciously. Before he could say anything rude, Hermione grabbed his hand and brought him back inside while Blaise watched after her. Without notice Draco took the lead and moved them into a nearby niche away from the rest of the party.

She could tell that he was thinking from the looking on his face. Leaning forward she brushed her lips upon his in a short kiss before pulling away, "You have no need to worry, Draco."

Still stunned by her actions he nodded, "I trust you."

Before she could motion to walk away, he grabbed her by the arm and brought her towards him, "You look stunning tonight."

She smiled a thank you before leaving him alone and joining the party once more.

His guest mingled with her. She slowly had become one of them, but the scarlet dress reminded them of the person she had been.

"So are you planning on children?" Theodore Nott asked, after a sip of champagne.

Hermione raised an eyebrow at this question and took a sip of her own drink before answer, "I'm not even married yet."

The idea of marriage to Draco hadn't even crossed her mind.

But it had his, "We will be soon, darling." He added, stepping towards the circle that she was in and encircled his arm around her waist, "Nothing big… very quiet."

A smirk crossed his lips, "_Obviously_."

The group laughed; all except her.

Her wit got the best of her as they continued to laugh at Draco's remark, "Actually – to be quite honest, marriage seems silly now." Draco's head snapped to face her, "I mean, after all, you and I are past marriage. Why marry when _we_ know what we are, right? We don't need a title – and what would it matter anyway?"

Even she didn't know where these thoughts were coming from.

But Draco continued to stare at those scarlet-stained lips of hers expecting something else… almost waiting for her to contradict herself or to start laughing. Nothing. They were pursed together. His eyes averted up to hers to find them looking right back at him.

"Right, Draco, _darling_?"

* * *

"You embarrassed me, Granger! In front of **everyone**! After our big triumph, after things start looking well for our kind you go and _ruin _it!" He yelled right into her face as she braced herself against her bedroom door.

"I didn't ruin anything! You're being overdramatic and you know it."

Not paying attention he grasped a handful of her hair and brought her close to him, "Overdramatic? Overdramatic, Hermione? Tell me something … why is it that you still have to outdo me? Why is it that I still have to be wrong?"

The answer was much to complicated. Hermione looked down at his feet to notice that there was a scuff on one of his shoes. It was insignificant but she noticed. Looking back up at him, she shrugged, "I don't know."

Draco let go of her hair and turned his back, "You don't know," He sneered, "The self-proclaimed bookworm _doesn't_ know? How god-damn ironic is that?"

His words were harsh, as intended.

Hermione slumped down into a sitting position, not wanting to cry but just wanting to breath.

"Draco, just leave."

So he did.

Hermione watched as he stormed down the hallways to his room. Rather, their room, but as of now Hermione wanted no part in the 'their'. She thought about the choice she made every day, but she knew that even if she had chosen Harry she would've been in Azkaban the minute the world saw her.

It was a lose-lose and she knew it all to well.

"_Hermione." _

She turned around to find Harry standing in his tuxedo, resembling the dress robes he wore to the yule ball in their fourth year. Not hiding a smile she approached him and fixed his collar, before cupping his face in her hands.

"You look dashing, Harry."

The wedding was months away, yet Hermione insisted on everything being in tact. It was all organized and most people wondered how she kept up with her job and the matters of her own wedding. Many insisted on a wedding planner, but Hermione didn't want it.

_This was her day. _

_There was a ring at the door of the shop and when she turned around her stomach did a flip flop._

"_I've come to pick up my dress robes," he motioned to a suit hanging beside the counter, and the assistant handed it to Draco._

"_That will be 2 galleons and five sickles," The man muttered, still in awe at the man's stature. It was a fancy shop, only for the wealthy, but still the fine suit he was wearing, the way his hair perfectly matched his feature; everything about the man was striking._

_As he reached into his cloak pocket he saw her out of the corner of his eye, "Bloody hell, now I've got to find a new place to get my suits at. And I thought this was a store for those of us well off in the world." _

Hermione could feel Harry get tense behind her. She turned to him, shaking her head, "Don't."

Turning back to Draco with her arms crossed over her chest she glared, "Malfoy, we've been out of school for awhile now and you still insist on those petty school-boy remarks. Grow up."

_His nostrils flared "Granger, some day I will grow up, but you will never stop being a _**mudblood**_."_

_It still hurt to be called mudblood by him._

_Not because it was an insult,  
__But he only used it when he was angry with her.  
__And she knew how angry he was._

_She hadn't spoken to him in almost a year, wanting to call off everything and be faithful to Harry. Draco despised it, and had tried everything to be strong, but every now and then he found himself at her office door with a meaningless message or meeting where he just had to see or talk to her._

_Hermione had always seen right past it. _

Seeing the look in her eye, Draco felt a pang of guilt somewhere inside of him. Before it could show in his face he grabbed his suit and turned towards the door.

_Once he was out, Hermione turned to Harry, smiling slightly, "Remind me, why didn't we invite him to the wedding?" _

They both laughed at the statement, but Hermione felt her heart grow heavy.

_But she loved Harry. Very much. No matter what anyone thought, she knew deep down she adored everything about him._

_  
She was lucky.  
__Very lucky.  
__And still it felt as if she was loosing._

**He's Back**

By: Colin Creevy

_The first raid in four years brought havoc in Diagon Alley yesterday. Approximately twenty deatheaters held a raid to scare innocent bystanders. Fifteen are injured, and three are missing. Romilda Vane, ministry worker, was last seen in Diagon Alley with her boyfriend, Marcus Belby. Susan Bones is also known to be missing. It is thought that this is linked with the recent news that Harry Potter and Ronald and Ginerva Weasley were found alive……_

Hermione continued to read the story, outraged.

She stormed down the stairs and into the dining room throwing the paper down in front of Draco, "Why! Draco, why!"

Hardly bothering at her frantic tone, Draco lazily inclined her head to look at her, "What else do you expect from me, Hermione?"

"Were you there?" desperation almost swallowed the words, "Were you one of the twenty there? Were those twenty men the ones I drank champagne with last night? Did I laugh at their dumb jokes – were those the men there! Damnit, Draco answer me!"

He shrugged, "Yes to every question, Granger. You're a smart woman, but you already know that."

Irritated at his behavior she crossed the room, pacing the length of the room, "How could you! Why continue with this?"

"Simple."

She stopped in her tracks and turned to him, "Simple?"

"Very simple," He stood and made his way over to her small frame. Taking a piece of her hair into his hands he sighed, "It's war now. They are now out to find us, and my darling, we won't be found."

She stood beneath his gaze, almost dumbfounded.

A triumphant smirk crossed his lips, "Remember how I didn't allow you in the dungeons at the old manor? I think its time that changed –"

His eyes gazed at her current ensemble of her nightwear and made a 'tsk' noise, "Get dressed and come down in an hour."

"No."

"No?" He questioned, "You were always curious. But now you're not, right? No longer do you want to know."

She was afraid because she knew what, rather who was waiting in the dungeons.

"You are now one of us, and you _w_ill know _everything_."

Hermione couldn't talk. He gave her a kiss on the forehead before exiting the room and heading down to the dungeons where the deatheaters were waiting.

And like he had asked of her,  
She arrived an hour later.

* * *

**A/N:** So I go from not writing in almost a year to having the sequel out. Ironic. :Anyways, this one is going to be topsy-turvy, so I hope you're all ready. You Can already see the rifts between them! And what will go on between Blaise and Hermione…? I hope you enjoyed! 


	2. Oh

**Disclaimer**: I own none of the Harry Potter characters or original plots from J.K. This sick story however is all from my very imaginative mind.

* * *

_In this time are we loving?  
__Cause all we seem to do is lose…_

She recognized most of them… even in their black robes and white mask. She had learned many things, for instance Terrence Higgs was shorter than Blaise, but taller than Gregory Goyle.

Draco was the easiest to spot.

They all stood behind him like he was some god.

The deatheaters looked at her and looked away as she moved through the sea of black, and slowly she saw the three people that had disappeared that day in Diagon Alley. She knew them. She had eaten her dinners with some of them. They were her old classmates, old friends – and there they were. Scared, alone, violated, hurt.

She saw herself in them.

"Once again, Vane," he drawled through the mask, "Where are they keeping them?"

The brunette snarled, "I won't tell."

An excruciating scream left from the young woman's mouth as a spell was shouted from behind her, "_Crucio_!"

She knew that voice.  
And it destroyed her.

She turned her head to face the white mask, but saw his body flinch.

Blaise stared back at her and could tell in her eyes what she was feeling. He quickly looked to Romilda who was still on the floor withering from the pain as the other two watched from behind her waiting for their own torture, but silently praying that it would never come.

The torture went on, and Hermione continued to feel sick to her stomach, but the moment that sent her off to the edge is when Romilda noticed her.

"You.." she whispered through clinched teeth, "It's _you_."

The deatheaters turned to face her, all knowing exactly who Romilda was looking at. Hermione continued to back away, occasionally running into one of them. Draco watched cautiously seeing how she was reacting.

"You did this," Romilda whispered, "This is your fault."

"No!" Hermione screamed.

By now there was a commotion and Theodore noticed her in front of him, and before he could reach her, Hermione had fallen to the ground. Her skin had gone white, and her breathing became shallow.

"Get. Her. Out."

They obeyed his command, and Theodore and Vincent carried her out, but another deatheater followed close behind while the rest continued with the three traitors.

* * *

A piercing pain from the back of her head woke her up. She had ended up in her room, and when she looked over she noticed Blaise sitting bedside, watching her. 

"You've been out for quite some time."

Shocked, Hermione tried to sit up quickly but the pain got worse, "What – what are you doing here?"

"I came up when you fainted, just to make sure you were alright," He stood up and crossed over to sit next to her, but Hermione moved away.

"Oh so you thought I was different, Hermione?"

She looked to the window at his statement. Blaise cupped her chin and forced her to face him, "I am no different than any man down there, and now you know."

He lifted his sleeve to show her the black mark that graced his forearm, "I waited for seventeen years to get this and when I did it was the proudest moment of my life – Voldemort was there, he accepted me as one of his followers, and now Draco is our leader."

Hermione made an effort to move, but Blaise tightened his grip, "What you saw down there was me doing my job Hermione. That's all."

She flipped at that statement and slapped his hand away, "Your _job! _You make it sound as if it was something as simple as making broomsticks! Blaise, what you did down there was torturing another human being. A person, Blaise, a woman … a woman that I used to be. You're just as bad as he is!"

Blaise grabbed her by the shoulders as she tried to leave the room and forced her up against a wall, "Yes, it's something that is torture to you, but I'm fighting for what I believe in!"

"And what is that exactly?" She hissed.

He could've answered her in some long drawn out rant about his passion and the rest of their passions but instead he did what he felt. Forcefully he closed the gap in between them and kissed her. At first Hermione struggled, hit, kicked – but then she gave in. Not because she had to, but because she wanted to.

Feeling her knees weaken she grasped his cloak and deepened the kiss between them. Blaise's hands became entangled in her hair, and her own hands slipped underneath his shirt. Things quickly heated, but soon Hermione stopped herself when she heard a knock at the door. They both stopped breathing and fixed themselves rather quickly. Hermione moved to the door to find Draco staring back at the both of him.

"Blaise, please escort yourself out and I will see you tonight," His voice was smooth and calm, but Hermione knew better. She moved to part a way for Blaise and as he left she felt a pang knowing that she was now alone to experience Draco's wrath.

But Draco didn't seem to have a wrath.

He was very quiet, and Hermione didn't like it.

She watched curiously as he moved around the room occasionally touching a clock or a jewelry box. She couldn't read his emotions, but she knew that he was angry.

"Please say something." She begged.

He stopped dead in his tracks and looked at her, "Say something? Say what, Hermione? What do _you _want me to say?"

She felt guilty.

Draco approached her and noticed her try and move away, but before she could he reached out to grab her arm, bringing her close, "So what is it that you think I should do, hmm? Close my eyes and ears as you and Blaise sneak around my house together? Should I kill him? Or shall I turn you back in with Harry, Ron and Ginny?"

She saw that he wasn't angry. The emotion he was trying desperately to hide was hurt.

But Hermione didn't sympathize, "You'd never turn me in or kill Blaise."

"Really," His hissed, "And why is that."

She moved in closer so that she was eye to eye with him.

"You are only afraid of _one_ thing, Draco, and one thing only. And that's losing me."

With that statement she pulled herself away and exited the room to abandon him there.

And all he could think about was how right she was.

_Hearing the knock at the door she put last minute lipstick on and grabbed her sequined clutch before running over to open it. But as she did her breath caught in her throat._

"_You were quite the actress today, Granger." _

When she didn't say anything, he raised a questionable eyebrow, "No hello?"

"Get away from here, Malfoy. You know it's over and Harry will be here any minute."

"That doesn't and hasn't ever bothered me, Hermione." He pushed past her into her loft. He hadn't been there in months but it was still exactly how he remembered – except for the boxes that lined the wall, "So you've started packing?"

She turned to face him, "My wedding is in less than a week. Of course I've started packing."

_For a moment they just stared at each other. Different thoughts went through the both of them. About how they ended up here, or what had started everything, or how everything ended. He noticed how delicate she looked tonight; white had always looked best on her. And she noticed how extremely tired he was. _

_He watched attentively as she placed her purse down and made her way over to him. She cupped her hand gently on his cheek and kissed him briefly before she pulled away, "I beg you to move on. We can't do this anymore and you know it."_

_Draco pursed his lips together to speak but they were caught by a knock on the door. _

"Oh, no."

Draco's eyes averted to Hermione who was frantically trying to find some way to cover this up, before he knew it she was pushing him into her room, "Stay, I'll be back tonight."

The door slammed and he pressed his ear against it to hear Harry's voice, "You look wonderful."

There was a quiet moment where he knew that he had kissed her.

_Then the front door slammed._

_At that very moment he knew that Hermione would exist fully in his life._

The three walked into the burrow, first Ginny, and Ron and Harry followed close behind while ministry workers stayed close. Ginny was the first to break down.

At the sight of the pictures throughout the house, she held on to the counter and shook her head, "How could she?"

Harry sat down as Ron went over to her to embrace her in a warm hug.

The question went unanswered, but it didn't stop them from thinking. It killed them to be in there. It wasn't the burrow they had left behind. It was dark, and the warmness of Mrs. Weasley popping in and out was no longer there. Fred and George weren't running a muck, and even the sound of Percy and Mr. Weasley fighting was missed.

Harry felt it as a loss of his second family.

He noticed a Daily Prophet sitting on the counter. It was old, months old, and splattered across the front page was _The Death of Viktor Krum by Colin Creevy._ Harry stopped breathing momentarily.

"Viktor's –" He started.

Ron and Ginny looked to Harry who looked like he had seen a ghost. Ron approached him and looked at the paper, "Oh no."

Ginny watched awaiting them to tell her what had happened, but neither spoke. Instead the opened the paper to read what had happened. It hit both of them like a knife in their heart. The paper dropped out of Harry's hands and he stared at a blank spot on the wall.

"She."

Ginny approached him and Ron, "What happened?" She asked shakily.

"She…" Harry muttered once again.

Ginny was getting more and more afraid, "Harry…?"

Ron punched his fist into the wall, making a rather loud boom, while Harry continued staring blankly.

"Harry?" She asked once more.

"_She_ … She killed _him_."

_Hermione opened her door to find Harry wanting access inside. She turned to face him with a faint smile, "Harry, I'm actually really tired tonight."_

_She put on a good act. Even though he was disappointed he obeyed her wishes, gave her a kiss on the forehead and grabbed her hand, "I'll see you tomorrow then?" _

She nodded.

_He left, giving her a glance once more as he approached the stairs down. She waved._

_When she entered the house she really didn't expect to find Draco, but there he was, sitting on the couch staring back at her. It didn't shock or scare her... she was actually a tad happy. _

"_Looks like you had a bloody good time," he drawled as he got up._

_It was obvious he had been drinking, but all the proof was on the table; a half-empty bottle of firewhiskey she had got for her birthday sometime ago. _

When she looked up Draco was in front of her, "You kill me, Granger."

Hermione dropped her purse as he came closer, pushing her up against the wall. She turned her head to face the other way, but he quickly turned her back to face him. They went through this over and over, and it was the reason why she ended it, but now she just couldn't stand it.

_"Draco, it's over. We're done." _

Not liking the answer he pushed her into the wall even farther making a small noise escape her throat, but Hermione knew better than to give in.

"How can I be with you when I'm an auror? When you are the one person we're trying to find and all day I pretend to have these clues to where you are when I know damn well you'll be in my room later that night? How fair is that to me? How fair is it to anyone?"

_She was answered by a blank stare._

_It was funny how vulnerable they both were to each other, because apart they were powerful. They knew what to do, but when it came to this … they were lost._

**We always have a choice…**

_And she gave in. _

_She grasped his head in her hands as they both moved in. Feeling his lips on hers first, she had to move her hand to the wall to brace herself. As much as she hated herself for once again giving in her thoughts were scrambled as he continued to push her to her limits._

_But she kept trying to pull away._

_Harry.  
__Her wedding.  
__The baby that she was carrying._

_Her thoughts became scrambled once again and he moved his hand to unbutton the back of her dress. She pulled back to stare at him. His pale blonde hair that was silk to the touch. His steely eyes, his pale skin. All a contrast from Harry, everything Harry was not._

**Fear can stop you loving; Love can stop your fear… **

"_I hate you," She mumbled as she stared at him as he put his clothes back on._

_He wasn't as intoxicated as he had been, but it was enough to set him off, "You always say that."_

"_I know."_

_Hermione rolled over to face the opposite wall, but heard his footsteps making his way over to her. She watched as he kneeled down, "I hate the way you pretend to hate me."_

_It was a game._  
_Their whole relationship._

_She sat up, wrapping the sheets around herself. Draco noticed the frown upon her lips and leaned forward to kiss her, "I need to go."_

_She nodded._  
_And as he apparated away from her flat, all he could think of was the next few days and how everything would piece together. He stayed away – to make her think he had given up, but that was far from it. _

* * *

Blaise and Draco had been best friends for years and years. They grew up together, they went to school together, and they now lived the same lives – just like their fathers. They were friends, and now Blaise was making them enemies. 

Draco sat across from him in the den, and while many were shaken by his icy stare, Blaise had learned to look past it.

"Where do you loyalties lie?" Blaise didn't respond to the question, instead he looked away, "Zabini…?"

He wasn't looking at him, but Blaise could feel Draco's gaze drilling into him. Finally he turned his head and answered as simply as he could, "In you."

"Really?" Draco got up from the chair and started to pace the entirety of the room, "Because lately one would think otherwise."

Blaise continued to stay silent. But Hermione saved him as she came in, all dressed, ready to go. Immediately she realized what was going on though.

"Oh," she muttered.

* * *

**A/N:** Okay there was so much more to this chapter, butttt fanfiction was being not so nice today. But i promise the next chapter will go faster since i have part of it now --- and you'll like it a lot. I hope you all are enjoying the story as much as i am writing it! Thanks for all the support carried over from _Sway._ Tell me what you think! 


	3. The Fire

**Disclaimer:** I own not one Harry Potter character or original plot of J.K's books.

* * *

_And soon they were at the heart of the dinner party in an array of colorful dresses, champagne glasses clinking and Theodore Nott greeting them warmly._

Draco went off with Theodore, speaking of business and pleasure almost forgetting about Hermione. But Hermione was grateful, because now she could direct her new fury on Blaise.

"I'm still angry with you," She said as she turned to find him staring back at her.

"I know."

She smirked and grabbed his hand, but made sure to be cautious.

The dark world – Draco's world – was like school all over. Gossip was key in making it in with the death eaters wives, which was why Hermione hadn't fit in yet. Her intelligence was appreciated by the deatheaters themselves. They enjoyed her conversation, her views, and even her passion against them. She amused them. She was a breath of fresh air.

"He's angry."

Hermione almost laughed at Blaise's statement, "When have I ever cared?"

They continued to walk through the maze of hallways. "Well – never, but he's taking his fury out on me now."

She stopped to turn to him. The dim lights illuminated his features ever so slightly, and she could tell that he was going through torment over the whole situation, "He loves me to much to hurt you. Because if he hurts you he knows I'll never forgive him."

Blaise understood. Before he could get even more entangled in her, he took a seat on the floor against a wall. The cold marble floor was a good awakening to his senses that had gone into a frenzy with being with her. She took a seat next to him.

"You vex me, Hermione."

She turned to him.

"I've admired you since our fourth year."

She didn't answer.

"… And when I saw you on the train with him I couldn't help but feel empty. Like I had lost all hope of ever …"

It was funny hearing that, but she understood, "Being with me?"

And what she did to Harry, she was now doing to Draco.

* * *

**A/N**: This was the last part of that chapter. I really couldn't leave it out, so I just posted it as a separate chapter. Anyways, I hope you enjoyed this last little tid-bit because I couldn't just leave you hanging! Thanks so much for all the support. 


	4. Foreign Affairs

**_Stay _**  
**Chapter Four:** Foreign Affairs

**Disclaimer and Notes: **I don't own Harry Potter – it's also ironic that I've started writing right before _Deathly Hallows_. Blaise is not white, I know this, but I started writing _Sway _before _Half Blood Prince_. Hopefully you've all forgiven me for my absence – I had a busy senior year, which also meant more essays and book analysis to write. Yada, yada, yada…. You all know where the story left off. Enjoy. :

* * *

There were not too many material possessions Hermione salvaged from her life previous to her current one with Draco. She had her wedding dress, her memories, and a necklace her mother had given her a week before she was scheduled to say her vows. The necklace was a simple gold chain with a gold ring attached, and upon that gold ring was a pearl Hermione's Dad had found in the ocean the night before he proposed to her mother. And the ring was given to her on the first anniversary. 

She tried to not think of her parents, but at this moment that ring captivated her. She stood up to look at herself in the mirror. There were visible changes. Her hair wasn't as luminous, her eyes didn't sparkle, and her skin didn't give off a faint glow anymore. She looked tired and sullen.

But as she clasped the ring behind her neck something came over her and suddenly thoughts of the house, and Draco, and Blaise all left her head. At that moment she was her mother's daughter. At that moment all that mattered was that necklace around her neck.

A knock broke her from her thoughts.

"Come in."

She spotted his silver hair behind her but didn't turn to face him, "Yes?"

He watched her. They never seemed to get along, but both knew deep down inside how much the other cared. Lately, though, he had been concerned. She was distant and cold and even someone in Draco's position was thrown off by it.

Not saying a word he started on his usual tour of her room. Occasionally he'd run his finger along her wide array of evening robes, each as expensive and beautiful as the next. Her room always smelt like her scent. It was comforting but then he'd grow furious that she still insisted on staying in her own room at the opposite end of the house from where his was. It had been long enough and he was growing tired of her games.

"Did you have fun last night?" He finally muttered, turning to her.

Hermione couldn't help but smirk slightly, "Draco, your parties are a chore, not a choice."

"Oh come off it," He took a seat on the chair by the window, "You always have to be one up on me. Just quit. Can't we have a decent conversation? You and I? No one would ever have to know."

Hermione wasn't fazed.

When she didn't answer, he continued, "It's not like I ever force you to come down. That is your choice entirely."

The material of last nights dress felt cool on her skin as she picked it up to examine the wear and tear she had caused, "True, but isn't it you who always says that if I didn't come down I'd be an embarrassment to you?" She paused, "So really, it's not a choice, because if it was a choice I'd have it that I was up here taking bubble baths and reading books rather than listening to that mindless babble I have to endure from those wretched women."

Draco couldn't help but laugh.

He stood up to meet her by the closet, "Mindless babble? Enlighten me on what you have to go through each night."

She took out a hanger and put the dress on it before putting it back in the closet and closing the door.

"Let's see, Millicent always has to inform me on how much of an infidel I am if I can't see how entirely _privileged_ I am to have the opportunity to_ fuck _you every night."

"Go on."

She ran her fingers along the black material of his shirt, "And that a mudblood like me has no business even being able to be in your presence."

"And you allow her to talk to you this way?"

She stopped in front of him, "In some sick way it absolutely tickles me to death."

He quirked an eyebrow.

"Because," She took a step closer so that their bodies came in contact sending chills up Draco's spine, "They don't realize that I have you wrapped around my finger."

The statement shocked him, enthralled him even, but even so he couldn't let her see that she was in fact absolutely, positively right. So before she could see that he had stopped thinking, he pushed her away, "Oh Hermione, you only wish that was true."

"Really?" She knew how to get him riled up, "So you'd gladly let Blaise and I go out tonight?"

It took a lot to shock Draco, but this statement caused him to make a complete 180 to face her, "Excuse me?"

She shrugged, "Blaise asked me to dinner tonight."

He was infuriated, "No. You can not just go out on dates."

"And why not? I am not your property; I do not belong to you. I have not _chosen _you,"

The words sent a spike through his heart. Draco snarled as he grabbed her wrist, "Don't play these games with me."

Hermione didn't falter, "Let me go."  
When he didn't she started her fight with words, "I don't want you Draco."

He tightened his grip.

"You're an animal.I despise you. I _hate _you"

The words cut him. Hermione had learned just what to say to kill him. She had been right all along: she was the only thing he cared about. She was everything to him. But Draco wasn't quite aware of her games just yet, all he knew was that she enjoyed seeing him angry, she even enjoyed when he'd physically reprimand her actions. But all the same, he could not play the games anymore and finally he was to his limit.

"Fine," He released her arm, "What do I care anyway? I never see you, I can't touch you, and I certainly can't love you. Why am I keeping you here?"

Hermione stood there puzzled.

"Go with Blaise," the tone of his voice was dry. No emotion at all and Hermione couldn't read if he was serious or not.

"I'm done, Granger."

She knew much better.

"You'll be back Draco..."

He cut her off before she could continue, "No. Don't you understand! There is no coming back."

The tone of his voice drove it in that he was serious, "It's begun! You wonder why I've been so on edge lately, so here's the truth – four deatheaters were captured._ Four, Hermione._ They're up and we're down –"

"Oh you're so ridiculous!"

He turned quicker than she could get away. Grabbing her shoulders, Draco pushed her against the post of her bed, "Ridiculous?"

"You don't care about anything but yourself and getting yours. In your eyes they gave up their lives for the cause. Am I right?"

He felt like spitting in her face.

At that moment he had never hated anyone more. Hermione did not falter under his gaze. She kept her cool because the moment she broke, he had one again.

It was not about winning anymore to Draco.  
"You are wrong. You don't know a damned thing about me, Granger."

"And you don't know about me either, _Malfoy_."

He released his grip and stared at her. Both nose to nose, neither daring to move away. She knew he wasn't playing and he knew that she had found her opportunity to break him. But what they didn't know about one another was that they both had entirely too much respect to destroy one another anymore than they had. Hermione could not take loving him though, she could not take sleeping in the same bed or even eating dinner on most occasions. He was in reality the death of what she had been and looking at him made her sick. It was different for Draco. She had cost him everything and yet he still yearned to love her and have her fully to himself.

In some sick way, he had wished Blaise had been among those captured.

"There is no more going out, Hermione. From now on the manor will not be a place of parties and lavish dinners."

She nodded her head.

"We caused this war."

She looked away.

"And I will finish it."

Fear spread through her body like a disease.

Looking back at him Hermione finally saw Draco show a shred of humanity. His body stayed composed and stately, but in his eyes she saw what he saw in hers.

* * *

After their talk Hermione wanted time to herself away from the coldness of the manor so she ventured to the place she felt most at home – the library. 

She put a book in her hands with no intention of reading it. The only thing she could think of was Harry. He was at risk now and if Draco didn't kill him the first time he had the opportunity he surely would now. Her eyes glazed over as pictures in her mind of a bloody battle field played with her mind until she heard someone cough from behind her.

"Draco, leave me, please."

When the person didn't leave she turned to find Blaise staring at her, "What are you doing here?"

Her inquiry brought a smirk across his lips, "Business."

She shook her head and turned to the decoy in her hands.

"May I ask what you're reading?"

"What do you care?"

Her demeanor threw him off.

"I was under the impression that I would take you out for dinner tonight, but clearly…" He stared at her attire, "You had no plans of leaving the manor today."

She scoffed, "You seriously thought Draco would approve."

He didn't think before he spoke, "… Well, yes."

Hermione looked away from her book and towards the dark haired man, "Honestly, Blaise, this is no time to wine and dine me…"

He cut her off, "Oh because Draco's given you the lies about the war? I see…"

She stood up, "They're not lies."

"I see that you two have made up," He stood up, towering above her petite frame, "If I didn't like you so much I'd grow tired of your nonsense."

Blaise was around for mere flattery and finally she had realized this. Of course she enjoyed his presence, and his looks and the way he kissed her, but he offered nothing Draco did. No matter what man entered her life she would always pick the same one, and the only person who knew this was herself.

"It isn't nonsense, but I do not feel it's appropriate to have a dinner while four of your close companions have been captured and are being held prisoner."

"Companions?" He laughed, "Give me a break. Every man for himself, Granger."

Not even Draco would have the gall to say those words, "It's all a huge game. Someone has to win and then the world goes on. People are sacrificed along the way and we all get over it, right?"

_'People are sacrificed…'_

"My family and friends were _not _a sacrifice."

Blaise mocked her statement with a haughty laugh, "Oh my darling, you are still going on about that? Tsk, tsk… it's time for you to move on."

Blaise had changed. He didn't go out of his way to baby her or lead her to believe that he was a 'good' deatheater anymore. She saw it for herself – they were all the same. Each one of them wore those black robes and had the same goal in his mind. Did it turn him off from wanting her? No. He wanted her now more than ever. Hermione though was through, his true colors made him much worse than anyone she had ever met and Draco was entirely right: Blaise was no saint.

Her fists were turning a shade of pale peach as she clinched them so she wouldn't the man in front of her. She didn't speak, just kept her eyes to his not daring to back down.

"Come off it," Blaise finally said, his hand gently stroking her cheek. She quickly moved away and towards the fire place.

"Honestly, you're not welcome here, leave."

"Not welcome? I am Draco's right hand man; he discusses his plans and battles with me."

She turned to him, "Even so. I don't want you here, and what I want goes."

"You must think you are so special. You have Draco whipped, is that what you think? _Think_ again, sweetheart."

She didn't understand where he was going.

"None of us have time to be your babysitters anymore. This is not a joke and all of us have prepared to fight. We all have made the same request," Blaise cupped her chin in his hand, "That you don't get in the way anymore."

"Prick."

He smirked at the venom directed toward him, "I'm just giving you the message that would have been sent sometime."

Hermione wondered if Blaise knew the fuel he gave her to fight. She stared as he made his way around the library, each occasionally meeting eyes, but not once did she return his smile. If their intentions were to fight a war then she'd fight with them.

"Now, I'll ask you again," she moved her head in the direction his voice came from, "Are you coming to dinner?"

She took this as her opportunity.

"I'll go get dressed."

By time Draco found her room unaccompanied she was far away from the manor.

While port keys were being tracked more and more by the ministry, Dark Wizards knew how to get away with darker magic. When they landed in Blaise's chosen destination he tucked the rose inside the pocket of his robe for safe keeping and took Hermione's hand. The first difference in the place that they were in was the bright lights, the excess of people, the color of their skin, and the difference of the language.

"Where are we?" She muttered, not really expecting a response.

But Blaise was too proud of what he had done to hide it, "Egypt, darling. Land of the Pharaohs and minimum wizard security."

She nodded her head as she took it all in; even as an auror she never had been on any missions in Egypt or near it. She found it beautiful and exhilarating and frightening – all at once. The women were beautiful, and the men handsome and for the first time in a long time she felt completely invisible. These people weren't on the lookout for her; they probably didn't even see her walking down the same street as them. Blaise took notice her amusement and took opportunity to wrap his arm around her shoulder, bringing her frame closer to his.

"There's a small restaurant; the only one in Egypt run by wizards," he noticed the panic that overcame her face, "Don't worry Hermione – they don't know the story, and they're good friends of Draco's."

She didn't see how that made anything better.

But then again – they were in an entirely different country; A deliberate move on Blaise's part.

"Welcome Mr. Zabini," The woman who greeted them was gorgeous and Hermione felt inferior in her presence. Her dark hair was long and cascaded down her back, her skin was a beautiful olive color and she had never seen eyes of that color before. Hermione followed the woman and Blaise to their table secluded in a corner.

The restaurant itself was gorgeous. The lights were dimmed, and there were candlelights at each table. For a place that seemed so dark, Hermione could not help but feel cozy and warm as she took her seat across from Blaise who now was whispering something to the woman.

"How do you know about this place?" She asked when the woman walked away.

"I thought I mentioned Draco knows the owners."

She nodded, "Well, he and I have been here on many occasions growing up. The earliest was when Narcissa came to see one of her friends here and took Draco and me along for the day."

It was hard to imagine Blaise and Draco as children away from Hogwarts. They both had lives that she couldn't even imagine and it made hers seem so ordinary.

As dinner went on, Hermione forgot things: the world was right now, right there, right within the whimsical conversations they were having. She didn't dare bring up Draco and he did the same – not even the decorations in the manor were talked about. He was the Blaise that she had met in school: the well tempered, polite, handsome man that made her forget her heart and who it belonged to.

"And do you remember that time in potions when Snape couldn't give me a good explanation on why it was that I got a mark off on my exam?" She was laughing as the reminisced about their seventeenth year, "Honestly, that man had it out for me."

Blaise propped his elbows upon the table and rested his head on his hands as he stared at her, smiling back, "He couldn't take that you were smarter than him. Out of the ten people that made it to that year's potions class he knew you'd be the one that passed with flying colors and it killed him. "

Hermione took a sip of wine, "You never spoke to me."  
It was the alcohol talking by now, "I mean... even as lab partners you never seemed to stare me in the eye let alone say two words to my face."

"I knew my boundaries."

She cocked her head to the side, confused by the statement, "Boundaries?"

Blaise shook his head, not really wanting to go into it, "Forgive me, should we get des—"

"Blaise, _what_ boundaries?"

He would not dare to bring up Draco right now and knowing her mind was not completely aware of everything going on he poured more wine into her glass and kissed her forehead, "I'm teasing. I was just shy back then."

She smiled, "And I was the loud, brainiac, know-it-all…'  
Her words were starting to slur and Blaise realized that it was time to go. He left a few galleons and helped Hermione with her things before the exited the restaurant.

Hermione was the one to grab his hand and lead him down the bustling streets, now that it was dark the lights were coming from all directions and Hermione couldn't take in all the beauty at once. It had been so long that she had been anywhere outside of the manor – let alone a foreign country in which everything seemed to be absolutely breathtaking.

She could not understand why she did this to herself and the two men she toyed with. Because she was this way she destroyed Harry's life, killed her friends and family, and now was stuck in a place that she hated. She lived a life she hated. She hated _everything_. **Hate**. Love brought on all she hated. The love for one man and yet here she was, once again. The way Blaise talked to her, his dark hair, his blue eyes, the way he smelt, the way he touched her – all contrasted from Draco, and even Harry. Each one of them was different. Each one of them vexed her. Each one fought his own battles and his own wars.

Nothing made sense.

_Nothing._

Just as her mind started running off Hermione noticed a man reading something that seemed very familiar. Then she remember, not all newspapers had moving pictures – and there on the front cover, a story by Colin Creevy: _'Four Dark Wizards Caught; Malfoy Still Targeted'_

Blaise followed her eye as she slowed to look at the pictures of the minister in front of the Ministry talking to a group of press and citizens.

"Marcus was caught?"  
She seemed to sober up really fast, and she realized this with the impending headache.

Blaise stared at his feet, "Draco didn't tell you?"

She shook her head.

"Marcus, Terrence, Millicent, and Graham were all caught."

Once again she shook her head at the news, Draco didn't mention any names but these were all people she had talked to the previous night. Now – they were in Azkaban. When she looked up at Blaise she no longer had the urge to be wined and dined.

"Take me home."

"What?"

She stood and crossed her arms over her chest, "You don't even care that he's at the manor, not only worrying about them being in the custody of the ministry but now he has to worry about me. You are so selfish!"

"And what are you?"

Even while speaking in a different language, the people around them sensed the tension between the two.

"Me?!"

"Yes, you," He stepped towards her, "You make it seem like everyone else is the bad guy, but when it comes right down to it you are just like the rest of us. Look at you. Worrying about how I'm making Draco feel. You are the one who agreed, who allowed me to get close once again. So tell me sweetheart, what are you trying to gain?"

She was baffled.

Blaise snarled, "_You_ are the selfish one."

Hermione couldn't take it. The saddest part is that she knew everything he was saying was true – but finally someone had the nerve to point it out to her. She took in a deep breath trying to rid herself of the anger that was boiling down deep inside of her, but the more she looked at him the more she felt like slapping him continuously to make him feel the hurt that she felt at that moment in time. Blaise was not like Draco though, instead of staring her down waiting for her to break he moved away and lit a cigarette.

He flicked the ashes of the cigarette away before looking at her, "In Gryffindor you learned loyalty – in Slytherin we learned that you have no one else to depend on but yourself."

She turned to him and he saw that her eyes were wet, "I still can't understand what happened to the girl who was the spitting image of what Godric Gryffindor would've wanted in his house."

They both knew the answer.

* * *

**A/N** No waiting another year for a chapter. I'm falling in love with this story just as much as _Sway._ I would LOVE to hear any kind of feedback just to assure me there's a continued fanbase and plus i just enjoy hearing what people think. Yes it's confusing and topsy-turvey, but just wait. Thank you all for your support. 


	5. The Past The Future

**Stay  
Chapter Five: **The Past. The Future.

**Disclaimer/Notes:**REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW! They give me insight into the goods and flaws of my story and I love hearing from everyone. So if you could take a minute of your time to let me know what you think, it would be greatly appreciated. As usual another chapter full of twists and turns but the characters are not mine, Harry Potter is not mine, I do not own any part of the wizarding universe except for this story.

Enjoy.

* * *

**She spreads herself wide open to let the insects in.  
****She has the blood of reptile just underneath her skin.**

_"I don't!" Draco shouted, undoing his tie, "But I can't stick up for her every single time someone says something…"_

_"But…" Draco raised an eyebrow at how much Blaise was speaking tonight, "You're the only person who calls her that."_

_"…Right," Draco licked his bottom lip in contemplation, "But I can't just change my ways because that would be a direct indication on…"_

_He looked at Blaise, "I mean, you understand, right?"_

_"Hello, Draco," the blonde looked over at a girl who passed him waving. He didn't wave back, instead turned his attention back to his best friend._

_"I mean, what do you think about all of this?"_

_For the first time he asked his opinion – and Blaise couldn't express what he honestly felt, "You know how she feels and if she changes her mind then go for it, but you can't constantly be putting yourself in a position where people catch on tha—"_

_"Zabini," he drawled, "I'm not thick, I think I know better than to as you say 'put myself in a position' – whatever, okay, you're right, but let's drop it. While she's off doing what she does best…"_

_Draco paused and the word 'Potter' flashed across his mind, "I'm going to go write to my father. Apparently some things aren't going right with the plans…"_

Blaise and Hermione stood looking at the Manor door waiting until the other touched the handle. Even Blaise was wary of what awaited the both of them inside. He knew Draco well enough that he hated being deceived, and this was the first time that Hermione had been taken from him like this. Hermione was equally afraid despite her anarchy against Draco. She knew that he was furious and right now her mind set wasn't strong enough to deal with what lay in store.

But finally, she was the one who turned the knob and as soon as the door opened they both found Draco standing directly behind the door, leaning on the large marble table in the entry way; arms crossed, eyes directed right at them.

"Welcome home," He drawled.

A breath caught in her throat.

Draco felt the tension, "What, no souvenirs?"

"I – I –" While Hermione was usually well-spoken, this wasn't the time. Draco advanced towards her and took her coat.

"What, Hermione? Wanted to tell me how exceptional Egypt was? So tell me, exactly what did you two do – where did you go, who did you meet --- ?" Hermione could taste the venom that laced his seemingly simple questions. She looked at Blaise who in return turned to Draco.

"How did you know we were in Egypt?" It baffled Hermione how calm his voice was.

Draco's mouth twisted into a sinister smirk, "Did you two really believe you could leave this manor without being tracked in some shape or form?"

The silence in the room was unbearable.

Just staring at the both of them infuriated Draco, but at this point there was no real punishment he could think of inflicting that would convey his anger. He had never seen Hermione refuse to stare him in the eye, and he never realized how calm Blaise was under pressure. And even with direct evidence that Blaise was attempting to take Hermione away, Draco saw him as his best friend – also his most loyal follower, and most trusted confidant. With all of this though there was the simple fact that he was in fact betraying him.

Something Draco was quite used to.

"Come, both of you," He demanded, leading both of them into the den. He sat in his chair by the fireplace and watched at Blaise and Hermione timidly made their way in, taking seats across from him. Draco didn't dare break the tension yet, instead he watched the both of them.

Hermione finally had the gall to look Draco in the eye and saw a glimpse of the rage within. He stared directly back at her and smiled.

"Honestly, if you really hate me that much, Hermione – _go_."

The words shocked both Blaise and Hermione.  
When neither of them said anything, Draco shrugged in confusion and raised a menacing eyebrow, "What? No shouts of glee or joy. I will not have someone who I can't trust in this household at this time, and right now Hermione, I don't trust you."

It angered her, but she couldn't argue or fight. She had no opinion for the first time since her wedding day.

Blaise on the other hand refused to keep his opinion buried, "Be rational Draco, where else is she going to go?"

"I don't care,' he annunciated each word that left his mouth, "As long as she is free from my sight."

"You don't mean that …" This time it was Hermione who spoke. Her voice was meek and quiet, words that didn't fit into describing her personality.

Draco turned his head to look at her, "Wrong_, darling_. I'm finished."

He was her last piece of home and the sick reality of that came crashing down. Without Draco she had nothing; without Draco she _was_ nothing.

Not being able to take anymore, Hermione rose from her seat and stormed over to the door which she found locked. Panic spread through her body as she turned to find Draco, wand out, and Blaise looking on, "You see Hermione, the only way I can fully trust you now is if you join –"

She was confused, "What?"

Draco made his way across the dark room to her. The fire illuminated his face as he spoke to her, "I trust my followers – even Blaise here," Draco acknowledged him with his wand before he turned to face her again, "The only way I know you'll be loyal – that I'll know for sure who's side you're on is if you hand me your arm."

Hermione shook her head in disbelief while trying to ward off her angry tears, "Stoppit, Draco…"

"Stop what?" He traced the outline of the dark mark along her forearm as she looked on in horror, "You think that you can just embarrass me, betray me – make a fool of me, without reprimand? I don't think so."

She tried to open the door, "You are not special, Granger."

Hermione could not understand what was happening. All of this was out of no where, and this was certainly not the reaction she had expected when coming home. Slowly she turned to face Draco and saw Blaise out of the corner of her eye looking on. Then she understood – Blaise was Draco's follower; Draco was his leader and whatever Draco wanted, Blaise gave to him. It had been that way even before Draco bore the title of 'dark lord'.

"Blaise," Draco said as he turned to face the man, "I need you to make a visit to Theodore and Lavender and give them the plans. You will here more instructions tomorrow."

Blaise nodded before moving to the fireplace and taking a handful of floo powder.  
"Nott's Residence." As he threw down the powder, flames engulfed him and with the blink of an eye, his body was not there.

It was Hermione and Draco again and both of them did not dare to move.

"He must really like you."

"Excuse me?" Hermione muttered, still not being able to move away from Draco's frame.

"After all he's gotten – he still insists on defying me," Draco smirked, "Nice to see him not being a pussy anymore."

She winced at his language. Before they strayed too far off the subject, Draco lifted his robe to reveal his dark mark. While Voldemort's was the skull and the snake, Draco personalized what his followers would receive. Like expected, it was a Dragon and entangled in it's tail was a mask very similar to the ones they wore. It was just as frightening to see on his arm than it was to see it in the night sky the night of the Quidditch World Cup when she, Harry and Ron were thirteen. She averted her attention to Draco who was staring at her directly in the eye.

"They live for this mark. This is their whole existence."

It sickened her.

"And I want you to be apart of that."

Hermione moved the pad of her thumb across the bottom of her eye to wipe away the tears, "I will not be a death eater."

Draco put his sleeve back down, "You do not have to be a death eater – but the mark is a sign of loyalty."

"Draco…" She sighed.

He looked down at her as she stared off towards the fire place. He had never wanted it to come to putting the mark on her arm, but now she had given him no choice. With the mark she was directly connected with him regardless of how she felt; And Draco insisted on this being the last resort.

Gently, he took her arm in his hand and kissed the spot where it would be before looking at her frightened face, "If you care for me at all, Hermione, you will do this for me."

She could not find the right words to say and she did not understand Draco's twisted logic. But there was something inside of her that left her feeling helpless; a twinge of emotion that was forcing her to even think twice about it.

As she stared at the man in front of her something washed across her whole being. A feeling of despair and pain and guilt – and without any fight at all she nodded her head.

"I'll do it."

A small but noticeable change came over Draco's face, and Hermione couldn't tell if it was happiness or shock or even sadness, but whatever it was she could not dwell upon because before she could blink Draco was muttering inaudible words and slowly the mark that was on his forearm was now starting to grace hers. The pain was excruciateing and she had never felt anything worse, but she bit her lip to hide the tears, knowing Draco didn't want to see that. But as she looked at the almost hideous marking she couldn't help feeling a sense of power.

Draco ran his thumb over the mark on her arm, admiring it, before staring back up at her.

Neither had any words to say to one another. Draco and Hermione both just stared. Everything between Blaise and Harry was now washing away from Hermione's mind and the man in front of her was all she could focus upon. It finally hit her like a brick in the stomach on why she was here – she once was infatuated with him. And now having that mark on her arm connected them in a way that she had not felt since she realized that her baby had really been his.

She did not want to be a death eater.  
She did not want to hurt.  
She did not want to kill.

But they were now in this together.

Looking down at her arm she shook her head and said the only words she thought were appropriate, "I am sorry, Draco."

He took her into his arms and brought her frame to his. He did not want to let her go for the fear of her never coming back, but this time he knew – she realized that this was her home and no one else could compare.

* * *

Harry sat motionless in the house that would have been his and Hermione's: Godric's Hollow. It belonged to his parents and now it belonged to him. 

Everything seemed dead: The walls, the furniture, _himself._

It still made no sense to him, or anyone else. No matter how much he pondered and ran through the events of the past year and a half, it all did not come together. No one saw it coming and that was the part that killed him the most. But there were the signs, and he continuously thought that if he had let her go, would things be different?

The fact that Hermione had killed someone who was so close to her made Harry sick to his stomach every time he thought about it. He didn't know she was capable of something like that. Then again, his perception of her had been completely wrong.

Before he could think anymore a large grey owl flew in through the open window and dropped a letter in his lap. Opening it, Harry found the unexpected.

_There had been a raid, we need assistance._

_- MoM_

Harry dropped the letter as fast as he could and grabbed his wand from the chair he had been sitting on, and just as he turned he noticed someone in the corner. His heart lurched and he raised his wand.

"Going somewhere, Potter?"

He would know that drawl anywhere. Fear spread through him, but he didn't lose his cool, "How did you get here?"

Draco stepped from behind the shadows and placed his wand inside of his cloak, "I am not here to harm you."

Harry didn't put his wand down, "I thought there had been a raid."

"Oh," Draco said casually, "There has been. – A distraction from anyone knowing where I am or where you are."

Neither had the urge to throw a spell at the other, nor leave the scene, Harry did not even feel the slightest feeling of worry for he knew Draco seemed off. Little did he know that Draco was actually the one worried, which would explain his peculiar actions on being here at this moment.

"I'm surprised you're not watched day and night."

Harry eased at the breaking of silence, "Honestly, Malfoy, cut the small chat… what are you here for?"

"Cutting right to the chase – something I didn't know you were capable of…"  
Noticing Harry clench his wand, Draco uncomfortable sat down on one of the arm chairs, "I'm here to tell you the truth."

"The truth?" Harry sat opposite from the Dark lord.

"Yes the truth," Draco adjusted in his seat, "I think you still believe that Hermione is the same person you grew up with…"

Harry raised an eyebrow, and Draco answered his question before it was asked, "And she's not."

"She never meant to hurt you. I can tell you that. But the reason I am here is because I believe Hermione is going to do something that I need to inform you off before the time comes ---"

"And that is…?" Harry inquired.

"The war is here, and when the final battle comes I believe she will fight."

Everything was running through Harry's head and an uncomfortable pace. Memories of the past flooded his brain while Draco spoke of the future. He knew that Draco seemed to be here on truce but he did not know his true intentions and everything was coming at him too fast for comfort.

"And you're telling me this why?"

"Because…" Draco sharply interrupted, "I need her to remain unharmed and out of reach of the ministry –"

"I can't guarantee that!" Harry shouted, now standing, "How dare you demand that after all she's done."

Draco stood, "I think you of all people would understand my reasoning."

"I don't understand anything anymore…"

"Just please," there was a hint of desperation in Draco's voice and Harry didn't fail to pick up on it, "If you have any power at all, let her return to me safely."

"But what if there's no you to return back to?"

They both paused. Draco blinked, unable to find the words to say. These thoughts crossed his mind but never had they been spoken by another person.

Draco bowed his head before turning his back.

"Wait…"

He turned to find Harry with his wand pointing directly at him.

**_"HERMIONE!"_**

She had been in the library and expected to hear Draco's voice returning to her, but clearly it wasn't Draco…

Hermione frantically ran out and down to the main foyer to find Blaise in front of six or seven men in black cloaks. There was blood on Blaise's hands.

"He's gone."

**

* * *

A/N:** Cliffhanger. Review, enjoy, read again, tell me your thoughts. This chapter wasn't full of a bunch of different things, but this is the turning point for Hermione. You'll see where she turns in the upcoming chapter which I expect will be up soon. Thank you for all the support! 


	6. Going, Going, Gone

**Chapter 6:** Going, Going, _Gone_

**Disclaimer:** Still do not own any characters or the wizarding world. But this story is completely my own. Credit to Nine Inch Nails for the song lyrics.

_**She's mostly gone, some other place.  
I'm watching you drown; I'll follow you down.**_

"What do you mean, '_He's Gone_!'?"

She couldn't think. The blood and the panic on all of their faces. Draco was nowhere to be seen. Hermione did not know how she suddenly was on the floor looking up at Blaise, but her legs could no longer support her.

"We lost him at the raid…" Blaise trailed off as he lowered himself to the ground to look at her, "He didn't tell you anything did he?"

The others watched on as she shook her head as thoughts filtered in and out of her head. Some rational – others not, but they all involved the possibility of him not coming back. She barely heard Blaise's question…

"Hermione?" He asked of her again.

Her panicked eyes met his and she shook her head, "No."

Then anger ran through her blood as she raised her hand to slap Blaise across the face, "You were supposed to look after him! You are supposed to protect him! Where were you?!"

Terrence, Crabbe and Goyle moved swiftly as the small brunette attacked Blaise with all her force. He was too much in his own shock to even realize the brutality of her slaps. Picking himself up off the ground he turned the window not seeing anything but the black night, and while he tried to concentrate Hermione's screams and accusations, the only thing, and the one solitary thought he had was what Draco had said to him months earlier. A comment so humorous that he passed it off as small chat, a joke… until now. Until the actual possibility was here; he faced it.

It was absurd.

She was in no mind-set; no position to do of what he was about to ask of her.

"Hermione," Blaise's voice stopped the murmurs of the others in the room, and they all looked to her, "Hermione… let me see your arm."

"What…" Her voice cut him like venom.

"Let me see your arm," He reiterated.

Hermione looked over each of the men in the room carefully. Something was not right, something was off. And she was too embarrassed to even let Blaise see the mark Draco had given her.

"No."

"I need to see it!" He shouted as he advanced towards her. Before she could fight back, he grabbed her arm, pulling away the sleeve of her sweater.

And there it was:

Black etched into her ivory skin. The mark of her defiance to what she had been.

Their mark.

"Oh God," Blaise dropped her arm, "Oh God…"

The others started asking questions as they watched the spectacle in the middle of the floor. Hermione watched in horror after seeing the reaction Blaise had. His face was pure frustration…. Fear, even.

"What is it, Zabini!" Someone shouted from the sea of black cloaks.

"What does she have?" More shouts.

"What's wrong?!"

Seas of questions flooded the air around him before he could regain composure.

Finally he blurted the ill-fated words of a once clever notion, "She's in charge…"

Hermione stood feebly in her place, "I'm what?"

The words were almost in audible from her lips, but Blaise owed everyone in the room an explanation, "Draco left me one order. And just _one _order – If something ever happened to him and he was unable to pick someone to follow in his place, she would be in charge of us. But only if she had the mark…"

"She has the mark!?" Terrence shouted in disbelief, walking towards Blaise, "There is no bloody way in hell this mudblood is in charge of us! No! This is a joke right…?"

When Blaise didn't answer, Terrence scoffed, "Out of his fucking mind! He's out of his mind!"

They all had the same reactions… they all shouted their panicked oppositions against it…. But Blaise didn't waver. Draco had been very specific, almost as if he had known. Now that moment was here: in the flesh and in the present. A grim reality of the madness Draco had been sucked in, and now he was pulling his people with him.

Hermione stood motionless as the men clamored around her, shouting, waving their hands, and making it positively clear that they thoroughly did not approve of this decision.

And she was speechless. What was there to say? She, who went to years of school to be an Auror, was now in charge of a cult of murderers …. killers… sadistic fools. He had given her his title. For what? What reason did he have to do this to them…. To_ her_?

"Hermione," She had not even felt Blaise move her to the side of the foyer, "Hermione say something, please."

Her skin was paler than usual and he knew she was just as shocked by this than he was.

"Please…" He begged.

"Find him."

They all heard those words. The room hushed again as they waited a formal command.

"Please, find him," She finally looked them all in the eyes, "Not just for my sake, but for yours."

They understood exactly what she meant. Blaise moved a piece of hair from her face, nodding, "We will. Are you going to be okay here? Do you need anyone to st – "

"No. Go. _Now_."

Then men hesitated to listen to her command, but knew that finding Draco would put an end to this. Blaise looked back once at her as she moved slowly up the stairs and then followed the rest out.

Then everything hit.

A sharp pang shot through her as she started to cry. Grabbing the stair rail to support her she slowly slid to the floor thinking about the information that she just received. Madness, all of it.

Their leader was gone – her …

And that's what struck the biggest chord: What was he to her?

Lover, some of the time.

Friend… never.  
Enemy … always.  
Who was he?  
Why was she here?

The mark on her arm drove her to madness even more. The only people that heard the hollow cries were the house-elves and they knew they could be no help to her.

"_Wait!"_

Draco turned to find Harry with his wand pointing directly at him.

'What are you doing?" Draco simply stated.

"You took her away from me, with absolutely no remorse," Harry moved closer without dropping the wand, "You took away families. You took away friends. You took my fiancé…!"

"You think it was all me?!" Draco shouted back, "She was equally guilty. She always has been, Potter!"

When Harry didn't say anything he continued, "This was never a vendetta against you or anyone else."

Then it hit him, "You can have her."

"… W-what?" Harry asked, lowering his wand, "As a gift? What is she, Draco? What is she to you?"

Harry had no idea, "She's more evil than I could ever be –"

"Right!" Harry cut him off, throwing the wand down, "Hermione Granger, evil. You kidnapped her! Abducted her from her own wedding and _she's_ the evil one!?"

"Please, all I ask is that you take care of her," Draco finally pleaded, "Just let her get better, find normalcy…"

"Normalcy?" Harry scoffed, and took a step towards the window, "Why couldn't you have just let us be? Let us live our lives…"

"You can ask her that question."

And before Harry turned around there was a 'pop' and he was gone.

Hermione did not know if it was minutes or hours that passed by, it might have been days, but arms now carried her frame up the stairs and into a room she rarely was in. Her lips brushed against the bottom of his jaw as he placed her on the bed. Neither spoke. It was a mutual understanding: he knew that she had been through hell and she knew the same of him. They were each other's drug and each other's sickness.

"I love you." She muttered, "I love you and only you, and will only love you."

Draco had more on his mind than empty words, though.

She watched in confusion as he moved away from the four-poster bed towards the heavily draped window. Here he was, here he was after thinking he was somewhere dead and he would not even look her in the eye. Him being here scared her more than when he was gone.

"You need to pack," his words were empty.

Bracing herself of the bed, she moved over to him slowly, "Where are we going?"

Draco let out a cold laugh, "_You_ are going back."

It chilled her. Hermione parted her lips to speak but no words could accurately express what she was feeling. Sensing her emotion, Draco turned to face her. At seventeen, Hermione Granger had been brilliant. Not only in her mind, but her presence, her beauty – all of it unmatched by any girl or any woman for that matter. He had loved her with passion that had consumed him from his toes to the top of his head. She had been warm and good and un-corrupted.

Now?

Things were different.

The passion had fizzled. It was more of a necessity to love her, to care. The beauty was an underscore and her mind was in no shape it had once had been. She was the mother of the child he never met. She was the reason he was in shambles. She was his whole world -- his whole universe.

He had captured her and he was sending her away.

The room stood still as the both stared at the other. It was almost a game of who would speak first.

"Where were you?" She muttered, not caring about winning anymore.

Draco looked towards the window and then back to her, "That is none of your business…"

"None of my business!?" She interjected, "None of my business! Considering that suddenly I had taken your place according to Blaise, I'm certain this is _my _business…"

As angry as she was, sadness was the emotion that continued to fill the voids in her whole body. His eyes were cold, his face gaunt. If it hadn't been obvious that he was beginning to loathe her, it was clear now.

"You are going home," It was a statement, not a request, "You are going home with no questions asked and the impression that you've been under spells and charms. I can not have you hear any longer."

A small noise escaped her throat, "When can I come back?! Draco, what's wrong?"

The panic in her voice didn't phase him, he began to walk to the door as he spoke, "There is no coming back. This decision is final."

Before he could leave the dark room, Hermione grabbed his arm and turned him to face her. He had seen her tear-stricken face too many times before to be sympathetic. But when she kissed him it was entirely different than it had been. Her lips forced his to move at the same speed of hers. It was urgent, and desperate. He could feel her fingers tighten through his hair and her tears move down his own cheeks. His own heart was breaking, but it had been enough. This journey needed to come to an end. But at this moment he could not bear the thought of letting her go.

Reason. He had to reason with himself.

"_Read it to me," his drawl sent shivers through her spine._

_There he was, on the black leather couch in the Slytherin Dungeon looking like a Prince. Hermione's hands shook as she held the diary that he wanted her to read from knowing what was inside. But even more frightening than the words scribbled late at night on those pages was the knowledge of where she was and who she was. The scarlet and gold trim on her sweater stood out like a sore thumb in the mass of black and gray and green. _

_A couple of days before he had approached her in the hall after dinner with her brown, leather bound diary in his hand. The smirk let her know that he had read it, and the precocious glimmer in his eye reminded her of exactly what he had seen. _

"_Draco…" She acknowledged coolly, "Are you coming to the study session tonight?"_

"_Oh, Granger," He grabbed her wrist and pulled her through the halls until they were alone, not even the mummers from students exiting the great hall could be heard anymore, "Do not try and change the subject. But to answer your question, no I am not coming tonight. I just came to give this back..."  
_

_The way he handed the diary over let her know that it was not a gift, but rather a favor._

_Hermione could not even look him in the eye knowing what he read. But even worse was the thought of him finding it, where had she carelessly left her most precious possession? Or did she leave it anywhere at all? Had he been in her room…? His scoff brought her out of her thoughts._

"_You are quite the talented writer," He circled her tiny frame, "But of course, right? You are Hermione Granger, smartest witch in all of Hogwarts… maybe even the world right? Muggle-success story? Why don't you write for The Daily Prophet? To hell with being an Auror… or is something smuttier more your taste….?"_

_That crooked smile of his made her want to slap him. So he read it? He knew? Hermione's face was turning all sorts of shades of red and he took notice. Slowly he moved towards her tiny frame, forcing her to take steps away until she was against the wall. Placing a finger beneath her chin, he tilted her head up to face him._

'_Meet me in the dungeons on Friday night," was his simple request, and Hermione couldn't even find the strength to refuse. She stood there, motionless, and nodded. _

_Just nodded. _

_Draco patted her cheek with his other hand, "Good girl. And by the way, save me a seat in the library, I need some help with potions."_

_Now here they were, she met him, and he was awaiting her response. But once again she was a like a mouse under and elephant. Scared and meek… Opposite her traits. But he did this to her; Draco was poison._

"_Well, we're not getting any younger, darling," the way he said 'darling' sent a fire through her._

__

"Malfoy," He loved it when she used his name like that, "What do you expect? I am not reading you my diary."

_He had a feeling she'd be stubborn. Getting up from the couch he moved towards her, never letting his eyes leave hers. When their bodies were close enough, he yanked the diary from her trembling hands and licked his finger before thumbing through the pages._

"_No, no, no… no, no…" He muttered under his breath. But then his eyes lit up and Hermione knew what page he found, "Here we are."_

_Turning the diary, he gave it to her, "Read."_

_  
There was no way; absolutely no way she was humiliating herself any farther. Of all places, here she was, with of all people, Draco Malfoy. It was 3 am, and while she should have been in bed, being good, here she was being bad; not following the rules. It was one of the few times she did not follow every rule at Hogwarts, and he was always the detour. Becoming impatient Draco leaned forward and brushed his lips along her ear. _

_It was like ice. His lips were cold knives, etching at her hard exterior. Yet at the same time they were fire. His sweet breath danced around her ear and his whispers were hurricanes against her eardrum, "Read it… for me."_

_With his mouth still against her ear, she mustered up the courage._

__

"I – I w-want…" Her voice trembled, "I want him inside of me…."

She could feel his mouth move into a smirk as his lips moved past her earlobe to the delicate skin of her neck. It was a battle to keep from buckling to the floor, "… I am immersed in his beauty everyday… He is the most beautiful boy I have ever seen… And I want him…"

As he teeth moved across her skin, a sound escaped her throat, but she kept reading, "I want him for me. I want him to myself…"

The rest was too embarrassing to have expressed out-loud.

Draco stopped in his tracks. "Where's the rest?"

So she wasn't in the clear… "Hermione, I didn't ask you to read half, or three-quarters… I wanted to hear the whole thing."

_But this time he wouldn't make it easier by distracting her. There he stood, eye to eye, awaiting the rest of the story. The power he possessed upon her was like nothing she had experienced before. He was magic._

"_I can't."_

_"Yes," He grabbed her chin, yanking her head up to face him again, "You can."_

_Tears were streaming down her cheeks by now, knowing there was no escaping. Pulling the diary back up she began to read the last part, "I want to taste him. I want to know what Heaven tastes like. He sets my body on fire with a touch and my heart to ashes with an insult… but I want…"_

__

Draco kept her head in his hand, not letting her look away, "What do you want?"

Wiping the tears from her face, she looked towards the ceiling in order to pretend he was not staring back, "I want him to fu—"

_He could not take the temptation anymore, before she could finish, he grabbed the back of her head bringing her towards him and kissed her. The diary made a large thud as it the floor. Hermione had to hold onto Draco's arms in order not to fall to the ground. The thoughts of Harry left her head, Draco was all she wanted and here he was giving himself to her. _

_But before anything else ensued, footsteps were heard coming down the stairs and Hermione stopped in her tracks. Before she could be seen she grabbed her diary and fled the dungeons and made her way to the tower before anything else could happen._

_Meanwhile Draco stood in the same place. Unable to move, unable to speak. It happened. He had her. The dangerous came when he wanted more._

She was completely different now from that girl he had loved so much, and no matter how many times she re-iterated how much she loved and needed him they could never go back to what they were.

"Pack, Hermione."

And he left.

As the door thudded as he closed it, her screams could be heard. Things were being broken, but the fact was… she was breaking.

He knew this. He wanted this. She deserved this.

Before he could really think of letting Hermione go, Blaise was running up the stairs. The shock of seeing Draco again was completely thrown now that they had something else to worry about.

"Draco!" Blaise shouted, as they met face on, "We have to assemble! They're coming! He told, Harry told, and they are on their way. The one's who were caught ratted…. "

"…. _What_?" The Dark Lord was silenced.

"We have to _fight_!"

**Author's Notes:** Its been a while. A really long while in fact. But I went to college, and with that came work and papers and everything in between. Then I was inspired once again to finish this story and this chapter might have been kind of choppy (Forgive me, I've forgotten what it's like to be in their world) but I know the ending, Hopefully you all will enjoy it. Let me know what you think! Sorry to keep you waiting.


	7. Hope Decays

_Disclaimer: _DO NOT own The Harry Potter world. Just this story.

* * *

**Don't want to reach for me do you**

**I mean nothing to you.**

**The levees are breaking.**

"_I don't even see why you're going off to study at some university! Do they teach you to kill? What are you going to learn… why __**waste**_ _your time?!"_

_The prince sat in an abandoned armchair in the back of the library taking her blows. The nearer graduation from Hogwarts came, the worse she became. _

"_Is it mandatory for deatheaters? To not only be killers but to be intelligent members of society—"_

_"Keep your voice down!" He demanded, silencing her._

_Hermione stopped in her tracks in front of the chair. It was late, as usual, their opportune time for their meetings to be a complete secret. The library was one of their frequented spots as well as the dungeons, or the observatory tower. At first it had been once every couple of weeks, but as of late it had become a daily ritual. Neither could bear being apart. Tonight was different though: no stolen kisses or caresses, just Hermione finally coming to the understanding of what her… lover… was to become._

_Unable to look at him anymore she turned her back towards him and crossed her arms over her chest, "Why fool everyone? That's what I want to know."_

__

Draco was not equipped with the answers for her inquisition, but he certainly couldn't take it anymore. He stood from the chair and crossed to her, "Why are you so adamant about it? What do you care?"

_Hearing his accusations she whipped to face him, "What do __**I**_ _care? I care about __**you**__!" _

_It still made Draco uncomfortable knowing how much she cared, it made it even worse that he felt the same. Stuffing his hands in his pockets, Draco shrugged, not really knowing what to say, "You are going to be an Auror…. I'm going on a different path… and that it is… You'll get married and have children and have the life you've always wanted…"_

__

"And what about you?" She interrupted, "What about you? You're going to kill for a living, Malfoy? Like your father? Your friend's fathers. You are so much more brilliant than that! It kills me to see your mind wasted!"

_"You don't think it takes more than a spell to kill someone?!" Her ignorance was irritating him, "My life is more than killing Hermione! We are a society! A way of life! We fight to keep that! Grow up, stop being a child!"_

_The blood boiled within her as she listened to his honest confessions. It was too much, all of this, all of him. Without warning she turned and stormed through the dark library shelves towards the door. Enraged, Draco followed, weaving in and out of shelves, not able to see her… but able to hear her heavy footsteps. _

_Not even realizing where she was, his cold hand gripped her wrist and pulled her towards him. The minimal light from the moon that crept through the windows illuminated his features slightly and it was the first time real fear was instilled inside her. He was frightening._

"_You know __**nothing,**_ _Granger." He whispered, harshly, "You put yourself upon this pedestal of what is considered good…. And look where you are…"_

_He didn't let go of her wrist as he backed her into the shelf of books closest, "Your boyfriend is somewhere in this castle sleeping thinking you are doing the same, and yet you're here… with me… hypocritical, no?" _

"_Do not bring up, Harry," She hissed trying to twist her arm from his grip._

"_Then don't pretend to know all about what I plan on doing after this," He said, releasing her and walking away towards the door._

_Hermione stood there, mouth agape, wondering if she truly offended him. Before he could leave, she broke into a run through the twists and turns of the bookshelves, occasionally hearing a loose book drop from the shelf. Seeing his silver hair gleam in front of her pushed her to run even faster._

"_Draco! Stop! Please!" When she finally caught up to his long strides she moved in front of him to block his path, "I am sorry, I am, but you have to understand where I am coming from."_

_"Where is that, Hermione?" He asked, genuinely interested. _

"_I want to know that there is a possibility…"_

__

"For what?"

"For me and you."

_He analyzed her words very carefully. No matter how he put it, no matter which situation, her plea was unreasonable and unattainable._

"_You really think that you and I could achieve a genuine relationship?" He asked, almost mocking her, "What would dinner at my home be like Hermione? Soup and salad, maybe dessert, and then you and my father would discuss current events and baby names? Is that an accurate account of what you picture?"_

__

She didn't respond.

_"You and I are two different people from two separate worlds and that is how it must stay."_

_Hermione felt her stomach drop as truth intertwined in his words._

"_Marry him. He loves you. He adores the ground you walk on. He needs you," Draco reached out to brush the tears that escaped her eyes, "This is nice for now, but you know it won't continue."_

_For having such a brilliant mind, it was hard to see past her heart, "What if you don't follow? What if you do something for you? What if you decide that being apart of that society is not for you? Draco, what if you decided to be with me? To have a family with me? To love me? Would that be so difficult… so wrong?"_

__

He shook his head in disbelief, "Have you listened to anything I've said? Anything! They are my family, they are my world, that is what I love."

"I don't believe you."

_"I don't expect you to," He retorted back._

_Deep in his heart, somewhere buried deep he danced with this notion. The notion of loving her, and being her husband, working for the ministry rather than a Leader with murder on his mind. In such a short time Hermione Granger had altered his state of being. A man who once knew exactly what he wanted, exactly who he was, now questioned everything because of her._

_There were times in class when he would see Harry look at her and he'd loose control, sometimes even having to leave class before he did anything drastic. But the sick part of him loved to watch as she lied right to his face. When she told him she couldn't make it to see him play quidditch, or cancel a date… when really she'd be with him later that night. He had taught her to lie, and she had taught him to tell the truth. They imposed their qualities on one another. Ying and yang. _

"_We have to stop this," Hearing her speak brought him out of his thoughts._

"_Is that what you want?" _

"_No," She answered brutally honest, "But we are only hurting each other."_

_His lack of an answer let her know he felt the same._

_Not giving him a chance to fight back Hermione placed her lips gently upon his. If she never kissed Draco again she would still be able to recall exactly how they felt. They were softer than anything she had ever felt. Perfect. Small. Beautiful. They tasted of salt and honey. It made her heart heavy when she did face the reality of never kissing those lips again. _

_He kissed her back. Their mouths had formed a rhythm over the past few months. A perfect rhythm that no other person could match. As their breathing heavied Draco cupped the small of her back bringing her body closer to his. The spines of the books dug into her back, but it was no match to the feelings that rushed through every vein in her body. _

_It had become painful to know that he would be leaving her permanently; it was the only reason she chose to keep pestering him about the future. Him becoming a death eater, and the fact that he willingly let her know without any filters, chilled her very core. The men in mask that tormented the entire wizarding world would soon be his new home. There was also one other thing, the solitary thing that shook her very foundation: He would no longer be anything to her. This would end. Her make-believe life that he created would be over. The thought of losing him, of never being able to talk to him, and see him, and not be afraid of who he was to become would be over._

_It was the finality that killed._

_Not realizing that her thoughts had mingled through her body, tears were now forming behind her closed lids. Without her even having to say a word, Draco gently pulled away and kissed the tears away from the corner of her eyes._

_  
"I know." He whispered. "I __**know**__."_

No one tried hiding what was happening. Everything seemed like a vortex around her, there were shouts from downstairs, crashes, yelling, screaming… the worst was that she could see why all of it was happening. They were coming. There were bodies surrounding the horizon. The lights from the ends of their wands illuminated the moonless night. Before she exited Draco's room she tied her hair back and put on the ring he had given her for Christmas the year before. The future was uncertain. There was no way of knowing how the night would end, but the pit in her stomach warned her that things were not what they seemed.

She exited the room and moved slowly towards the stairs where she could already see a mass of black and silver. They were preparing.

Downstairs the atmosphere was in a frenzy. Draco rushed in and out of the group making sure everyone was set and knew the battle plan. Hermione was nowhere near his mind until he saw heads start turning towards the stairs. And there she was, descending the stairs in a simple ensemble of a pair of black trousers and a cream colored sweater. Her eyes were empty and her face unreadable.

Blaise could not bear looking at her knowing what was coming.

"Where is he?" Her voice, barely a whisper, was a command.

Draco moved from the middle of the mass towards her. She watched as they spread to let him through until he stopped in front of her.

Draco Malfoy was a man now.  
His silver hair had thinned.  
His gray eyes not as sharp as they used to be.

Instead of a late night rendezvous in the library with the young prince who had been clad in head to toe sliver and green, he was now cloaked completely in black with a mask that hid the beautiful features underneath. A regular civilian would have been frightened to stand in his presence, but Hermione was no ordinary citizen. Bringing her hand up to the corner of the mask she lifted it over his head to reveal his face. There was no emotion, no remorse, and no fear.

The death eaters watched in silence at their last exchange.

Most of them had been praying for this moment to come, where finally Draco removed the thorn from their sides. But watching the sadness instilled in both of them was almost unbearable.

"You're going to fight?"

"Yes."

"And what about me…?"

He didn't need to ponder her question. It was best if she was left in the dark. Without words, he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her small frame towards him. Their mouths met with haste and a fierce passion that was never quite matched before. Hermione dropped his mask, which crashed on the cold marble beneath them. Her fingers raced to touch every single part of him she could. There was no time to think or to breathe or to reason. Draco deepened the kiss, exploring the crevices of her mouth he had known for years. Her mouth was home, her lips the door, her body the world. As much as he knew this was for the best, there was no pretending that he wasn't breaking just like she was.

A sound escaped her throat as Draco gripped into her skin trying to hang onto her as long as he could.

Blaise had to interrupt, knowing that the alliance would be advancing soon.

"Grab her," he ordered.

Two masked men grabbed her arms to pull her away from Draco. Her screams echoed through the empty halls, but Draco's silence was louder.

"Draco! Please! P-Please don't do this….. Please!.... Draco, I won't hurt you anymore, I'll be good, I'll do anything!" It was uncomfortable to listen to. Hermione flailed her legs back and forth, trying to get away, but their force was too strong. As they drug her frail body through the masked followers, she looked at Draco through her watered eyes, continuing to scream until her throat burned. And he just watched. No pain. No move to stop them. It gave her fire.

Breaking free of their grasp, Hermione ran through until she reached him, and dropped to her knees.

"I can't live without you," She begged, grasping his hands. "Please, please do not do this."

And without warning Draco raised his hand to slap her with all his force. The room was silent hearing the sound of skin against skin. Hermione fell to the floor, clutching the side of her face. The only sounds were those of her hollow cries.

Drawing his wand from his cloak he pointed it at her, "_Incarcerous!"_

Black ropes escaped from his wand, wrapping tightly around her body, silencing her. The men around the room stood in awe, almost. The woman that had ruined Draco Malfoy was now on the ground, no longer an equal to them, but a mudblood. But for Blaise it was painful. This was completely out of the blue from Draco. He hadn't expected Hermione's departure to begin like this, nor did he expect the abuse Draco was inducing upon the woman he loved.

"I hope you are all ready," Draco ordered, "We're in for a long night."

The men drew upon their wands, all with the knowledge and ability to kill. They were all ready, but even happier to have their leader back.

Hermione watched from the floor, bound and silent. What she was watching was almost unfathomable. The man she loved was now the one she feared. There was no way of knowing what would happen now – where she would go.

Then Draco looked down at her, and the whole world stopped on its axis. A sick smile spread across his face as he squatted down and placed his hand over the spot that was still hot from his brutal force.

"You expected a more romantic goodbye?" He laughed mockingly, "My dear, you are once again the enemy."

She could hear muffled yells, occasional explosions and screams from the outside. The room began to clear as the Deatheathers fled the manor into the dark night to stand their ground and protect their empire.

This war had begun with her and was ending with her.

"_Stupfey_."

The manor possessed an eerie glow from the outside. Not many had seen it, let alone had been inside, but now it was flocked with ministry officials, aurors and general people who wanted to see the fall of an empire. The tree's swayed gently in the autumn breeze, crickets could be heard chirping for those willing to listen, the scent of gardenia moved with the wind giving the night a perfume. For such a beautiful place, it was hard to imagine the horrors that had happened within.

Blaise had decided to stay near the manor upon Draco's departure.

And when Draco did depart, his stomach twisted itself into knots.

Draped across his arms was an almost lifeless Hermione. Her unconscious body frail and bruised. He had put her in a costume, the wedding dress she had arrived years ago in, and her hair unkempt, her lips painted pale pink.

His doll. His tattered, worn doll. The doll he was through playing with.

"I thought it would be appropriate she left in what she came in," he said coldly through the mask that he put on again.

Blaise couldn't hold his tongue any longer, "You realize she's still Hermione? Because I think you've forgotten how much you love this woman, Malfoy. Have you gone mad!?"

Draco had broke into a walk towards the mass in the distance, and Blaise followed, continuing his accusations, "You're treating her as a hostage, as someone beneath you---"

"She is beneath me!" Draco snapped, turning to face Blaise, "Muggle blood runs through her, she's a mudblood! Not worthy of anything that I've ever given her. And now I am bestowing upon her the respect she deserves!"

"Respect she deserves?" Blaise asked, baffled, "Are you listening to yourself?"

"_Finally."_

**Hope decays.**

**

* * *

**

**Author's Notes:** I love reviews. I love your comments and concerns. I love this story. I will absolutely love finishing this story for y'all in the coming chapters. Thank you.


End file.
